Harry Lee is president and CEO of the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association. Yasmeen Sampson is the principal of Philip’s Academy Charter School of Newark, a 2023 Lighthouse Award for Equity from the New Jersey Department of Education. This first appeared at NJ Spotlight.

Gov. Phil Murphy’s efforts to fully fund New Jersey’s school aid formula have gone a long way toward getting resources into under-resourced schools, helping to close long-standing educational gaps in our state. But while his commitment to maximizing the formula is laudable, there is still much to be done to ensure equity in funding, especially for public charter schools’ facility needs. This is one of the most challenging and pivotal times in public education as all schools try to mount a post-pandemic learning recovery during a historic teacher shortage.  

Public charter schools have proven they are already meeting the challenge head-on. Black and Latino students in New Jersey public charter schools are thriving and last year outperformed their statewide peers by double digits in reading and math. The 20,000 students in Newark’s public charter schools, 86% of whom are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, outperformed the state average in reading proficiency last year. This is a stunning accomplishment for the #1 public education system in the country and a proof point of what is possible for the rest of America. Public charter schools are overcoming obstacles every single day, but funding for their facilities remains a persistent challenge. The schools serve 1 in 5 students in New Jersey’s Schools Development Authority districts — the 31 school districts where the state must cover all costs for school building and renovation projects, per the Abbott v. Burke decision.

Our schools have never received dedicated facilities funding and spend, on average, $2,000 per student in operating dollars on their buildings. This is funding that should be going to increase teacher salaries, classroom supplies and technology. Across the 85 public charter schools statewide, there is an estimated $1 billion needed over the next decade to provide safe, healthy, secure and welcoming school environments for students, almost 90% of whom are attending charters located in SDA districts. There are nearly 30 public charter school buildings that are at least 100 years old or older, including a Paterson public charter school located in an aging former parish building first constructed in 1828 when Andrew Jackson was president.  

Philip’s Academy Charter School of Newark, a 2023 Lighthouse School recognized by the New Jersey Department of Education for their diverse staff, epitomizes the funding challenge. Philip’s has been committed to hiring and retaining an increasing number of Latino, bilingual and male teachers of color to better serve their student population. Retaining diverse teachers is a historic challenge in our state, especially in urban or under-resourced schools. When former acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan presented Philip’s with a Lighthouse Award in February to recognize these efforts, right behind the curtain on the stage of the gym were four kiddie pools collecting water from the leaking ceiling. What the audience didn’t realize is that Hurricane Ida caused severe damage to many parts of Philip’s Academy, destroying their main lobby and leaving widespread damage the school is still working to mitigate years later. Even a simple rainstorm can create a major fiscal restraint for the school and pull resources away from other needs.  

Fortunately, the Legislature has been taking steps to open additional facilities funding options for New Jersey’s public charter schools. Legislation signed by Gov. Murphy in January established a Public Charter and Renaissance School Facilities Loan Program in the state’s Economic Development Authority, the first-ever facilities funding framework for public charter schools in their 26-year history in the Garden State. But this program has gone unfunded in his proposed budget, which also makes a significant cut to public charter school emergent projects and capital maintenance aid.  

What this means is that public charter schools like Philip’s Academy will continue to have broken elevators and air-conditioning systems, non-working doors and windows, and roofs that leak when rainstorms turn into floods. Without the restoration of emergent aid and a commitment to provide resources to the newly created loan program, public charter schools will have to choose between keeping the lights on and delivering high-impact tutoring or mental health resources to young people. Public charter school students are the same kids with the same needs as district students, who are their friends, neighbors or siblings. Let’s fairly fund all public-school facility needs: Whether they are district, public charter, renaissance or magnet schools, they all deserve our support. We stand ready to partner with the Legislature and Gov. Murphy to help get funding to these critical needs.